Artificial life is the goal pursued by cognitive philosophy， cognitive science， and artificial intelligence， yet its realization has consistently encountered challenge. The generative mechanisms of artificial life include self-organization， emergence， and agency， all of which are difficult to precisely grasp in the cognitive paradigm. Evolutionary biology demonstrates that natural life possesses extraordinary adaptability. For artificial artifacts， the way to endow them with life-like characteristics involves first transforming them into self-organizing systems with emergence， and then evolving them into embodied agents possessing agency and moral cognitive capacity. This process reveals the functional and informational properties of artificial life， manifesting its adaptive representational character.

Tuberculosis remains a significant global public health threat.Early diagnosis and effective treatment are crucial to combat this disease.Yet,traditional diagnostic methods for tuberculosis face limitations due to their low sensitivity,extended detection periods,and dependence on sputum samples.Molecular diagnostic techniques,while offering higher sensitivity,still primarily rely on sputum samples,thereby impeding significant advancements in tuberculosis diagnosis.In clinical settings,there exists a pressing demand for diagnostic approaches that are not solely reliant on sputum samples.In recent years,extracellular vesicles(EVs),as emerging biomarkers,have demonstrated substantial potential in various diseases,including tumors and infectious diseases.A multitude of studies indicate that EVs also exhibit potential in the field of tuberculosis.This review provides an in-depth analysis of the biological characteristics of EVs and their role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis.It systematically summarizes the progress and significance of EV-based biomarkers in tuberculosis diagnosis,treatment monitoring,and disease mechanism exploration,while addressing the challenges and future prospects in this field.The aim is to offer valuable insights and up-to-date research findings to researchers and clinicians engaged in tuberculosis-related studies.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between thyroid function and the total cerebral small vessel disease score in the elderly.Methods:This cross-sectional study included elderly people who underwent physical examinations at the Geriatrics Department of Beijing Hospital from April 2019 to December 2020. Participants were devided into 5 groups based on the total score of cerebral small vessel disease: 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. General clinical data were collected through physical examination reports and outpatient medical records. All participants underwent a 3T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scan and data were collected to calculate the total cerebral small vessel disease score. Fasting venous blood samples were taken in the morning to measure thyroid hormone levels. Relationships between thyroid hormone levels and lacunar infarcts, microbleeds, white matter hyperintensities (WMH), enlarged perivascular spaces, and total cerebral small vessel disease score were analyzed using Spearman correlation. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression was also used to analyze factors associated with total cerebral small vessel disease score.Results:A total of 545 elderly individuals were included, with a mean age of (75.16±9.18) years, and 505 (92.7%) were male. The number of subjects with a total cerebral small vessel disease score of 0 were 207 (38.0%), 1 were 182 (33.4%), 2 were 99 (18.2%), 3 were 41 (7.5%), and 4 were 16 (2.9%). Statistical significant differences were found in age, fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, triiodothyronine (TT3), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and the proportion of hypertensive patients among the groups (all P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that TT3 ( r=-0.138, P=0.001) and FT3 ( r=-0.213, P<0.001) were negatively correlated with total cerebral small vessel disease score. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that age was independently and positively associated with total cerebral small vessel disease score ( OR=1.139, 95% CI: 1.087-1.193, P<0.001), while FT3 was independently and negatively associated with total cerebral small vessel disease score ( OR=0.331, 95% CI: 0.118-0.929, P=0.009). Conclusion:In the elderly population, FT3 levels are independently and negatively associated with total cerebral small vessel disease score.

Objective To construct an evidence-based discharge preparation service plan for patients after receiving percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD)so as to provide a theoretical reference basis for improving the quality of discharge nursing service.Methods A computerized retrieval of academic papers concerning the discharge preparation service plan for patients after receiving PTBD was conducted.The quality of the included literature was evaluated and the evidences were summarized.According to the clinical actual requirements,the first draft of discharge preparation service for patients after receiving PTBD was formed.Using Delphi method,two rounds of letter inquiries were conducted in 17 experts to determine the final version.Results In the first round of expert consultation,17 questionnaires were distributed and 15 questionnaires were recovered;and in the second round of expert consultation,15 questionnaires were distributed and 15 questionnaires were recovered.In the first round of expert correspondence,11 experts made suggestions for modification,and in the second round of expert correspondence,4 experts made suggestions,indicating that the experts were more motivated to participate in the research.The coefficient of expert consultation judgment(Ca)was 0.90,the degree of familiarity(Cs)was 0.91,the coefficient of authority(Cr)was 0.91,and the Kendall's w for round 1 and round 2 were 0.363 and 0.368 respectively.The final discharge preparation service scheme consisted of 13 items at six different time points from patient admission to after discharge.Conclusion The established discharge preparation service plan for patients after receiving PTBD is scientific and reliable,which can provide theoretical basis for patients'discharge service.

Objective Based on the best evidences to establish the practice plan of discharge preparation service for patients after receiving percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD),and to assess its clinical application value.Methods According to the PIPOST principle the clinical questions were proposed,the best evidences of discharge preparation service for patients after receiving PTBD were retrieved and summarized.The review indicators and review methods were formulated.The baseline review was carried out,the facilitators and barrier factors were analyzed,the change strategies were developed,the clinical transforms were implemented,and the patient outcomes were evaluated.Results After application of the evidences,the implementation of the review indicators of discharge preparation services after PTBD was improved.After discharge,the incidence of catheter complications(including catheter falling-off and puncture site skin infection)was decreased,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in the incidences of tube obstruction and fluid extravasation.Conclusion The evidence-based practice of discharge preparation service for patients after receiving PTBD is helpful for improving the self-care ability of patients after discharge,reducing the incidence of tubular complications and improving the clinical outcome of patients.

Objective To summarize the best evidence related to the postoperative drainage-tube flushing in patients after receiving percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD),and to establish a systematic technological process for PTBD drainage-tube flushing,so as to provide evidence-based support for clinical nursing care.Methods A computerized retrieval of academic papers concerning the evidence related to the postoperative drainage-tube flushing in patients after receiving PTBD,including the guidelines,evidence summary,systematic evaluation,expert consensus,and original research,from the databases of Cochrane Library,Web of Science,PubMed,Embase,UpToDate,BMJ Best Practice,CNKI,Wanfang,etc.was conducted.The retrieval time period was from the establishment of the database to March 2024.Results A total of 8 articles were included in this study.Finally,18 best evidences were summarized based on the following 6 aspects:personnel qualification,timing of flushing,selection of flushing solution,flushing methods,precautions during flushing,and health guidance.Conclusion This study systematically retrieves the domestic and foreign evidence about the postoperative drainage-tube flushing in patients after receiving PTBD,scientifically evaluate the evidence,and summarize the best evidence,based on which a systematic technological process for PTBD drainage-tube flushing is established,providing a reference for the development of standardized draining tube flushing procedure in the future.

Metformin has been demonstrated to attenuate hyperglycaemia by modulating the gut microbiota. However, the mechanisms through which the microbiome mediates metformin monotherapy failure (MMF) are unclear. Herein, in a prospective clinical cohort study of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients treated with metformin monotherapy, metagenomic sequencing of faecal samples revealed that Phocaeicola vulgatus abundance was approximately 12 times higher in nonresponders than in responders. P. vulgatus rapidly hydrolysed taurine-conjugated bile acids, leading to ceramide accumulation and reversing the improvements in glucose intolerance conferred by metformin in high-fat diet-fed mice. Interestingly, C22:0 ceramide bound to mitochondrial fission factor to induce mitochondrial fragmentation and impair hepatic oxidative phosphorylation in P. vulgatus-colonized hyperglycaemic mice, which could be exacerbated by metformin. This work suggests that metformin may be unsuitable for P. vulgatus-rich T2DM patients and that clinicians should be aware of metformin toxicity to mitochondria. Suppressing P. vulgatus growth with cefaclor or improving mitochondrial function using adenosylcobalamin may represent simple, safe, effective therapeutic strategies for addressing MMF.

Objective:To investigate microstructural alterations in the optic chiasm and optic radiations of multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) based on diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI).Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. Retrospective analyses were conducted on the clinical and imaging data of 63 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and 62 patients with NMOSD diagnosed at First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2019 to December 2023. According to the occurrence of optic neuritis (ON), they were categorized into ON-positive MS (ON+MS) group (40 cases), ON-negative MS (ON-MS) group (23 cases), ON-positive NMOSD (ON+NMOSD) group (40 cases) and ON-negative NMOSD (ON-NMOSD) group (22 cases). In addition, 40 healthy controls were enrolled during the same period. DKI data of all subjects were collected, and DKI post-processing was performed to obtain fractional anisotropy (FA), mean kurtosis (MK), axial kurtosis (AK), and radial kurtosis (RK) values of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic radiations. The scores of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) were obtained. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the differences in DKI parameters of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic radiation among the 5 groups, and the Holm-Bonferroni method was employed for multiple comparison correction in pairwise comparisons.Results:There were statistically significant overall differences in the DKI parameters of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic radiations among healthy control group, ON+MS group, ON-MS group, ON+NMOSD group, and ON-NMOSD group (all P0.05). The FA value of the optic chiasm in ON+NMOSD group was significantly lower than that of healthy control group and ON-MS group, as well as ON-NMOSD group ( P0.05). The FA value of the left optic radiation in ON+NMOSD group was lower than that in healthy control group and the ON-MS group. The RK value of the optic chiasm in ON+MS group was lower than that in the healthy control group and ON-NMOSD group ( P0.05). The MK and RK values of the left optic radiation in ON-MS group were significantly lower than those in the ON+NMOSD group and ON-NMOSD group ( P0.05). Conclusions:NMOSD and RRMS patients demonstrate varying degrees of microstructural damage in the optic chiasm and optic radiations. Differences of DKI parameters suggest different pathological mechanisms of visual pathway damage between NMOSD and MS, which may be helpful for early detection of occult visual pathway lesions.

Objective: To explore the association of physical activity and sugar sweetened beverage consumption with psychological sub health among middle school students in Bao an District, Shenzhen, so as to provide a reference for adolescent mental health promotion. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2024 by a stratified cluster random sampling method to select 6 926 junior and senior middle school students from 5 middle schools in Shenzhen. The questionnaire from Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System was used to assess the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, and physical activity Rating Scale was used to assess the level of physical activity, and Brief Instrument on Psychological Health of Youths was used to evaluate the psychological sub health status. The Chi -square test was used to analyze the differences in the detection rates of psychological sub health among different groups of middle school students, and a multivariate Logistic regression model was established to analyze the effects of physical activity and sugar sweetened beverage consumption and their combined effects on the psychological sub health of middle school students. Results: The detection rate of psychological sub health among middle school students in Bao an District, Shenzhen was 18.93%. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that, after controlling for confounding factors such as gender, school stage, family residence, family economic status, parental literacy, academic stress and number of friends, lack of physical activity or excessive sugar sweetened beverage consumption were associated with increased risks of psychological sub health among middle school students ( OR =1.36, 1.45); and the highest risk of psychological sub health was found in middle school students who were lack of physical activity and excessive sugar sweetened beverage consumption ( OR =2.59) ( P <0.01). Further analysis by school stages showed that junior high school students with sufficient physical activity and excessive intake of sugary drinks ( ROR =2.10), lack of physical activity and excessive intake of sugary drinks ( ROR =2.31) were at higher risks of psychological sub health than senior high school students( P <0.05). Conclusions Insufficient physical activity and excessive sugar sweetened beverage consumption are closely associated with an increased risk of psychological sub health among middle school students. Effective interventions should be targeted to reduce the risk of psychological sub health problems among middle school students.

OBJECTIVE To explore the subtypes of human papillomavirus(HPV)infection and expressions of ser-um microribonucleic acid(miR)-21,cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)mRNA,human leukocyte antigen-G(HLA-G)and squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCC-Ag)in the patients with high-grade cervical lesions.METHODS Totally 51 high-grade cervical lesions patients with HPV infection who were treated in Ganzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital from Jan.2022 to Jan.2024 were randomly selected as the infection group,52 high-grade cervical lesions patients who did not have HPV infection were chosen as the no infection group,meanwhile,54 healthy people who received physical examination were assigned as the healthy group.The subtypes of HPV infections and the types of infections were observed.The levels of serum miR-21,COX-2 mRNA,HLA-G and SCC-Ag were com-pared among the groups.The values of the indexes in diagnosis of HPV infection in the patients with high-grade cervical lesions were analyzed.RESULTS Totally 75 case-times of HPV infections were detected in the infection group;the patients with HPV16 infection or HPV18 infection were dominant among the patients with single sub-type of HPV infection.The patients with mixed infections of HPV16,HPV52 and HPV58 were dominant among the patients with multiple subtypes of HPV infection.There were significant differences in the levels of serum miR-21,COX-2 mRNA,HLA-G and SCC-Ag among the infection group,the no infection group and the healthy group(P＜0.05);the levels of the four indexes of the infection group were higher than those of the no infection group and the healthy group(P＜0.05);the levels of the four indexes of the no infection group were higher than those of the healthy group(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)value of the joint detection of the four in-dexes was higher than that of the single detection in diagnosis of the HPV infection in the patients with high-grade cervical lesions(P＜0.05),the sensitivity of the joint detection was 92.16％,with the specificity 92.32％.CONCLUSIONS The HPV genotype HPV16 is most common among the high-grade cervical lesions patients with HPV infection and is dominant among the patients with single and multiple subtypes of HPV infections.The miR-21,COX-2 mRNA,HLA-G and SCC-A are associated with the high-grade cervical lesions and the high-grade cer-vical lesions with HPV infection.The patients show high expressions of the four indexes.The joint detection of the four indexes has high value in diagnosis of the HPV infection in the patients with high-grade cervical lesions.